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Taurine may protect the brain against alcohol
Excessive daily alcohol consumption kills brain cells and can lead to Korzakov's syndrome. Supplementation with large doses of taurine may be able to soften the negative impact of alcohol, a Brazilian animal study suggests.
Study
Brazilian pharmacologists at the University of Sao Paulo State fed rats a heavy dose of alcohol every day for a month. Every week the amount of alcohol increased.
Another group of rats was given taurine. If the rats had been adult humans, they would have been given 5-6 grams of taurine daily.
Yet another group of rats were given alcohol plus taurine.
When the month was over, the researchers studied the rats' brains.
Results
Alcohol administration increased the number of dying neurons in the hippocampus. The hippocampus is a crucial organ in the storage of information. When Korzakov's syndrome develops due to alcohol abuse, the hippocampus is often damaged.
Taurine supplementation limited the decrease in the number of cells in the hippocampus due to alcohol administration.
EtOH = alcohol.
Mechanism
The researchers conducted a literature study into possible mechanisms that can explain how taurine mitigates the negative effects of alcohol on brain cells. Perhaps we should look for the explanation in the antioxidant effect of taurine, perhaps in the ability of taurine to inhibit inflammation.
The figure below summarizes the possible explanations. Click on it for a larger version.
Conclusion
"These findings suggest that taurine can act as a reparative adjunct molecule against the negative effects of alcohol during its consumption", summarize the Brazilians.
Source:
Nutrients. 2024 Jun 20;16(12):1973.
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